2018-10-15 Mon

Taravath Madhavan Nair was an Indian medical practitioner and political activist of the Dravidian Movement from the Madras Presidency. He was born in Koduvayur on January 15, 1868 and had his school education in Palakkad.

T.M. Nair had done M.A. in Presidency College, Madras; after that studied medicine in Madras Medical College, and obtained the degree of MA, Ch B in Edinburgh, England.

He started getting involved in social issues and was a big draw as a public speaker. For seven years he was a member of the Madras municipal corporation and later became a member of Madras Legislative Council.

He led the anti-Brahminical movement launching South Indian Liberal Federation. Dr. Nair, along with Sir Theagaroya Chetty and Dr. Natesa Mudaliar, founded the Justice Party and was the editor of the English newspaper ‘Justice’ run by the party.

When the First World War broke out Nair served as one of the surgeons on the hospital ship SS Madras, and was commissioned as a lieutenant. At the end of the war he was awarded the Kaiser-i-Hind medal and posthumously the War Service medal.

In 2008, the Government of India released a postage stamp in his honour. The release of the stamp is a proof that his contributions continue to be remembered.

Image Source: Mintage World